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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bat — the animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. press — newspapers
  10. suit — in cards
  11. press — to push
  12. club — for golf
  13. current — happening now
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — a trail
  16. club — for dancing
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. current — of water
  20. club — a group
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. current — electric
  24. suit — to fit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com